FishExplorer.com Blogs

The Pause

by: Lloyd Tackitt 4/5/2013

Once in a while I've noticed this small phenomenon. It only lasts a couple of minutes at most, and if you're not paying attention you'll miss it. It's "the pause" - that moment in the evening when everything slides to a complete stop.

It requires perfect synchronization of weather, time of day, and animal activity - that's why its fairly rare. It's that couple of moments on a calm clear day, just before dark, when everything just...stops.

No birds sing, no fish jump, no dogs bark, no wind blows, no clouds move, no insects fly or make noise. it's a pause between the day animals stopping and the night animals starting. Conditions have to be just right for it to happen, and when it does happen it doesn't last long. Sometimes for only a few seconds, at most for two minutes. If you're fishing, or hunting, you've probably noticed it a couple of times.

No wind, no clouds, no movement, no noise. It's a pureness that can't be described, only experienced. You can hold your breath while it happens, and probably should, everything else does.

Next time you're outside just before night slips in like a thief, and there's no wind to move the trees, next time there's no clouds to drift like ghostly galleons across the sky, and you have the right conditions for "the pause"...wait for it. Listen for it...and take it in for as long as it lasts.

It happened again last night, and it lasted a long time, maybe a full two minutes. Then a bird started softly calling and ended it gently. I stood there a few more minutes and listened as the other night birds began to sing.

tracks, CO 4/5/2013 12:42:37 PMNo kidding! Those moments used to be "ah oh, what's going on?"
Now they are just peaceful moments when you get a moment to think about nothing.

solocamzman, CO 4/5/2013 1:07:46 PMWell written my friend, well written

Coyute, CO 4/5/2013 1:33:23 PMYou certainly have a cool way of seeing things and putting them into words. I have had the experience myself and felt like that if I took a breathe or blinked and eye the spell would be broken.

IceFishingFool, CO 4/5/2013 7:48:56 PMLately I have experienced a lot of "The Pause" !! ......then I wake up again.

Rsrecurvehunter, CO 4/5/2013 10:18:02 PMWell written, it truly is an amazing moment and couldn't have described it better myself.

Raskal, CO 4/5/2013 10:22:57 PMI think all outdoorsmen have experienced it .... but you described it very well ! A very personal moment for all of us !

Dave Mauldin, TX 4/7/2013 8:02:58 PMYes, I experience it mostly in the spring during bass fishing....when catching fish in the late afternoon, and just at dark...all stops. I mean STOPS...not slows down, but STOPS...
I know it's time to enjoy God's handiwork for a short while, and then go in ASAP. A small concern is aroused, until I get to the boat ramp.